Compare towns
Plainfield vs Warner vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Warner has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Plainfield | Warner | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
2,959 |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% NH: +4.6% |
+3.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
43.7±4 about the NH average |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
5.3%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Warner and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$94,022±$18k 5% below NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Plainfield and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$353,100±$22kLowest 12% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Meredith and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,219±$123 18% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 19% above NH |
$7,650 15% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.7%±21.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Warner and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
32 minHighest 19% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
16.6%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 120 in NH | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.